Indiana Dunes Beaches

15 Miles of Shoreline, 9 Unique Beaches, and Endless Lakefront Adventure

Life in the Indiana Dunes really is like a day at the beach. That’s because here you'll find 15 miles of award-winning Lake Michigan shoreline to explore and nine scenic, swimmable beaches.

Start your morning with a hike up a windswept sand dune, enjoy a swim in the cool freshwater, or relax with a lakeside picnic as the sun sets. Whether you're grilling at a nearby shelter, casting a line from a fishing pier, or just letting the lake breeze tangle your hair, you'll be enchanted by the magic of the Indiana Dunes.

National Park and State Park Beaches

The Indiana Dunes National Park and Indiana Dunes State Park offer some of the most beautiful—and accessible—beaches in the Midwest. While both parks share the same stretch of shoreline, each has its own character and amenities:

Together, these parks cover over 17,000 acres of protected land, where you can explore not just beaches and dunes, but also prairies, oak savannas, wetlands, and forests. With nearly 2,000 plant and animal species, the Indiana Dunes area is one of the most biodiverse areas in the U.S.

With nine different beaches along 15 miles of Lake Michigan's southern shoreline, it's not easy to choose! This guide will help you decide which Indiana Dunes beach is best for your visit.

Indiana Dunes Parks

The Indiana Dunes National Park and the Indiana Dunes State Park offer access to dune-lined shores and endless outdoor adventures. Here you can explore beaches, dunes, prairies, oak savannas, wetlands, rivers, bogs, and forests. In the two parks' combined 17,000+ acres, nearly 2,000 different species of plants and animals have been identified. That makes Indiana Dunes one of the most biodiverse areas in the United States!

Indiana Dunes National Park

Walk on glacial sands, pushed and pulled by time into dunes nearly 250 feet high. Paddle across a 300-mile-long lake with waves and scenery that rival the Atlantic.

Indiana Dunes State Park

Sand, shore, and the space to breathe—over 2,000 acres of it! This isn’t your run of the mill state park, it’s a place shaped by thousands of years of shifting landscapes and…

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Tales from the Dunes

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Where to See Lupines in the Indiana Dunes

  • 3 minute read

Each spring, a sea of colorful wildflowers washes across the landscape of the Indiana Dunes. If you time your visit just right, you’ll be treated to one of the most beloved wildflower…

Indiana Dunes State Park

Our Guide to The 3 Dune Challenge

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The 3 Dune Challenge at Indiana Dunes State Park offers a fun way to explore the region’s stunning landscapes. This celebrated 1.5-mile trail takes hikers up Indiana’s three…

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